Energy Mitigation Research and Outreach Initiative

Through the Energy Mitigation Research and Outreach Initiative the Ruckelshaus Institute gathers and synthesizes information on mitigation practices intended to ameliorate the consequences of landscape-scale energy development to wildlife populations.

Based on information from federal, state, non-profit, and industry partners, we are working to improve understanding of wildlife mitigation options, successes, and challenges.

What is mitigation?

Mitigation includes:
(a)     Making efforts to avoid impacts,
(b)     Minimizing remaining impacts, and
(c)     Compensating for unavoidable impacts.

This definition represents a hierarchy of activities: first seek to avoid and minimize impacts and then compensate for impacts that do occur.

While mitigation can address impacts to air quality, cultural and visual resources, livestock, and recreation, and can address effects from a number of human impacts, the Mitigation Initiative focuses specifically on mitigating impacts to wildlife from energy development.

Read more about the mitigation initiative.

Featured publications

	Wind Development and Wildlife Mitigation in Wyoming This publication draws from scientific, working, and statutory knowledge to provide a survey of current wildlife mitigation practices for wind energy projects—both in Wyoming and outside the state. It also explores what might be next for wildlife mitigation and wind as development moves increasingly to federal lands. Anne Jakle (2012)
	Natural Gas Development and Wildlife Mitigation in Wyoming This primer lays an informational foundation and understanding of terminology for mitigation stakeholders. It outlines the mitigation process (avoidance, minimization, and compensation) and sets the stage for wildlife mitigation triggers and guidelines surrounding natural gas development in Wyoming. Anne Jakle (2012)

Browse the mitigation initiative publications.